"The WBBEC salutes the rank and file members of the Queensland LNP for showing the Gympie LNP powerbrokers which side their electoral toast is buttered on," he said.

He called for "these powerbrokers" to "stand up and be counted by the people of the Mary Valley".

"WBBEC has an unequivocal pre-election guarantee from the Premier (Campbell Newman) that he will do his utmost to ensure that the Queensland lungfish will be protected.

"The Newman Government at least appear to have gained a modicum of understanding of the appalling treatment meted out by the former Beattie and Bligh governments to this iconic living dinosaur."

But Mr Currie said those behind the motions showed "a distinct learning disability when it comes to protecting the threatened species of the Mary River".

"Andrew Powell must shake his head in dismay," he said.

"Perhaps these powerbrokers need to undergo some biodiversity tuition after school, to get up to the level of understanding which most primary school children currently have."

"Thankfully in this case the motion was convincingly lost," Mr Gibson said.

"Andrew Powell put forward a very convincing case not to dam the Mary River and the vote to reject the motion was overwhelming.

"I strongly endorse the views of the broader LNP membership to reject any proposal to place a dam on the Mary River."

Other Mary catchment LNP members also rejected the proposals, while welcoming discussion on them, saying the ideas were the "subject of much debate".

In a joint statement, Mr Powell (Glass House), Glen Elmes (Noosa), Anne Maddern (Maryborough) and Ted Sorensen (Hervey Bay) said they encouraged party members to have their say but did not support the specific proposals.

"The Newman Government has no plans to repeat the mistakes of the previous Labor Government by revisiting a proposal to dam the Mary River," they said.